Principles and Practices - July 5

Ideal of Prayer

It is well to bear in mind that in commanding us to pray always our Saviour did not mean actual prayer, as that would be an impossibility.

The desire to glorify God by all our actions suffices for the rigorous fulfilment of this precept, if this desire be habitual and permanent.

'You pray often,' says St. Augustine, 'if you often have a desire to pay homage to God by your actions: you pray always if you always have this desire, no matter how you may be otherwise employed.'

-Quadrupani.
_________________
From Principles and Practices
Compiled by Rev. J. Hogan of The Catholic Missionary Society
Published by Burns Oates & Washbourne Ltd., Publishers To The Holy See
Nihil Obstat; Eduardus J. Mahoney, S.T.D. Censor deputatus.
Imprimatur; Edm. Can. Surmont, Vicarius generalis.
First printed in 1930